PR: UK: Manchester shops defied the law selling fake goods

Shops in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester opened despite the restrictions in place on non-essential retailers and have been selling potentially dangerous products.

All non-essential shops were forced to close after the government announced lockdown measures on 23 March, to stop the virus spreading.##Despite these restrictions around 55 retail shops in Cheetham Hill opened their doors to sell counterfeit goods as well as fake COVID-19 related products such as facial coverings and hand sanitisers.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) warned "These traders aren’t concerned about social distancing or protecting the public. They have been ignoring the law and the products they sell will undoubtably put individuals and families at risk. We urge everyone to stop buying fake goods, especially at a time when the economy is struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic”.

In the last month, ACG has contacted several senior politicians including Priti Patel Secretary of State for the Home Department, Leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Labour Policy Forum as well as enforcement officers to highlight the problems in Manchester and the impact this illicit trade has on the economy and peoples’ jobs. It is estimated that fake goods divert up to £4bn from legitimate businesses and public services.

Phil Lewis, Director General at the ACG said: " Our member brands, Trading Standards and Police have been fighting to close these units for some time now. It is a complex network of criminals and they are well entrenched.

“It’s great to see that Greater Manchester Police and partners have acted on information provided by ACG and issued prohibition notices to inform local businesses and counterfeit retailers of their responsibility to prevent the spread of Covid-19, but it’s now time for the politicians to step up and take decisive action to rid us of this counterfeiting scourge, which is openly destroying prized businesses.

“Failing to do this will have a huge impact on any efforts to re-build our economy.”